


The Tainted Elementa

by Kirrei



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Aegis - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arch - Freeform, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Chaelis, Coming of Age, Demigods, Eldrin - Freeform, Elves, Eva - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Female Character of Color, Friendship/Love, Ka-ge, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Character of Color, M/M, Male Character of Color, Male-Female Friendship, Niles - Freeform, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Plot Twists, Romance, Royalty, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Solstice, Ying - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2019-10-16 00:10:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17538962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirrei/pseuds/Kirrei
Summary: Zarod was a vast land which consisted of four kingdoms: Aegis (in the west), Ying (in the east), Niles (in the south) and Chaelis (in the north). The realm was once blessed with fruitful harvests, temperate climates and unprejudiced rulers by the Elementa, the patron celestial being of Zarod. However, as time passes, man soon became corrupted by the seven deadly sins, soiling humanity to its bitter core. In response, the Elementa's detestation and anguish for mankind's actions had given form to the reverse Elementa, a despicable and sinister being existing only to obliterate and annihilate the once tranquil Zarod. The existence of the reverse Elementa was an anomaly from its natural equilibrium, causing the dead to spring back to life as the undead and abhorrent climatic changes to bestow upon most of Zarod's territory. With the beginning of this era, an Elementalis was chosen by the Elementa to destroy the vessels of the reverse Elementa in order to restore the natural equilibrium of mother nature and balance to Zarod. This tale will be centered upon Eva Lark, a Nilean villager and Ka-ge, a Yingean youth with sovereignty but a tainted past as the lot meet, bond and join forces to save Zarod once and for all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. This is the beginning of my novel that I've been thinking about for a really long time (approximately 5 years). I've finally gotten the courage and time to start and what better way than to post it here? I want to apologize if there are any grammatical and vocabulary errors beforehand. Hopefully, you'll enjoy my work and grow to adore the characters that I had brought to life with my poor choice of words. I'll be posting two chapters every 1-2 month(s), and I hope you are all patient enough to wait for the release of the next chapter(s). Thank you so much for your overwhelming support.
> 
> Chapter 1 is a tad boring, please bear with me till it gets interesting.

        

            Eva's gaze fell upon the crimson red poker cards, eyes vigilant as it moved to and fro in the swift hands of a brown skinned boy. The boy, Markus, gave them a cheeky grin and began distributing the well shuffled cards, cursing those that weren't his under his breath. Eva didn't care that Markus was doing so, unlike her other male friends who were rather offended by the act. Jon rolled his eyes and punched him in the shoulder while Kashim flipped the bird at him. Eva's eyes were still locked onto the cards, heart racing at what lies beneath. As soon as the cards were completely distributed, she picked the cards up in her hand, and took a peek.....

_Ace of spade, Two of spades, Two of hearts._

           Luck was definitely on her side today. Although, she wanted to smile, she maintained a rather deadpan expression to prevent any suspicion from emerging.

          ''Markus, you asshole! My cards fucking suck!'' Jon exclaimed, curling his lips into a doleful pout.

          ''Yeah, mine too.'' Eva agreed.

Her friends narrowed their eyes at her, wary of her words. _ _'_ 'Well, at least I tried to be convincing.'' she thought._

          Since she had the three of diamonds, she was eligible to start first, based on the rules of Big Two. She released a set of five cards, watching her friend's expression as they fumble upon which card they could employ. Just as Eva predicted, they all skipped their turn. Things were looking good. She then released the miraculous two of hearts and her friends skipped their turn yet again. Victory was absolute. Within a minute, she had already won the game.

          She hopped off her seat and did her signature victory dance, ''I am yet again undefeated! Bow down to your poker queen! '' she guffawed, giving her friends a cocky grin.

         ''Goddammit Eva! Your luck is way too good.'' Kashim jabbed.

         ''Well, its only for card games. My luck is pretty....bad.. for like everything else.'' she answered.

         ''MARKUS WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GET BACK TO WORK?!'' a voice called from the other room. Markus jolted in response and let out a despondent sigh. 

         ''Well, duty calls.'' he said, as he pushed himself off his seat. ''There's nothing to harvest anyways.''

         ''Yeah, Betty has been producing lesser and lesser milk since June. She's not even that old yet.'' Jon added, getting off his seat as well. Betty was Jon’s cow.

         ''This is a problem we were bound to face guys, it's difficult, but __c'mon__  our __padre__  has overcame this problem many times already! ''Kashim insisted.

          ''I don't even have a _padre_ , I'm quite offended. ''Eva remarked, in a teasing manner. ''But joking aside, the corn yields had been decreasing too. At this point, I'm just worried about summer, ya know, everything dries up so fast.''

          The setting in the room soon became gloomy and grave. Eva wished she hasn't mention about summer. Niles, as the sun kingdom was hot all year round. Summer increased the temperature by tenfold. The beginning of summer meant the beginning of droughts and that also meant reduced crop yields. Depleting crop yields meant less income for the villagers of the outer wall and bring upon hunger.

          ''MARKUS GONZALEZ! YOU BETTER GET BACK TO THE FIELDS RIGHT NOW!'' a voice boomed, breaking the silence.

          ''Fucking hell, I'M COMING!'' he snickered.   
          
          Everyone began exiting Markus's room since everyone had a myriad of chores they still needed to finish.

         When Eva was by the door, Markus stopped her. "Hey Eva?"  
         "Yeah?" She answered, turning to look at him.  
         "Ummm here," He said, making her way towards her. "these.. are for you."

          He placed a bag of cookies in her hands. "Wait.... how did you get your hand on these?"   
         "My dad..it isn't much but I know you like them." Markus chuckled, his brown skin becoming redder and redder.  
         "Gee thanks Markus, I'm happy you remembered." She replied, blushing as well. She felt a sense of gratefulness and sincerity rushing in her veins, and it made her incredibly joyous to receive a gift from Markus.

          She skipped towards the fields, her heart still racing and her face hot. For the record, they weren't dating, no. Eva had feelings for him and she was fairly certain that Markus liked her back, but nothing ever really happened between the lot. She took a piece of cookie from the paper bag and popped it into her mouth. It was delicious and sweet.

          She soon passed a cremation ceremony, and the feeling of bliss had suddenly fade away. She watched the family of four dropped a torch of fire on their passing family member, the ashes flowing with the wind away from Niles and to somewhere unknown. Cremation was the only way the undead could be dealt with. The thing is, if a dead person isn't cremated, they become the undead. The undead (no they're not zombies) were a living sack of meat with no souls or reasoning. They would attack and ingest anything in their sights. The undead were another reason they lived within the walls of Niles. They had no choice as the environment outside the walls were too treacherous and uncharted. Living within the walls were the only means of survival.  

           As she arrived at the corn fields, her gaze fell upon her mother, arms crossed and fierce eyes narrowed at her. She was furious.

          ''You know we have to send these off to the market before dusk right?!'' she scolded.

          ''I know, I’m sorry, I’ll get to work right away.'' Eva babbled.

          Her mother was a stern and serious woman. She often pushed Eva to her limits but Eva knew that it was because she wanted what was finest for her. Her father hasn’t been part of her life as far as Eva could remember and she was told that he had suddenly vanished when she was just a little girl. However, her mother had never once talked erroneously of him. Her mother wasn’t the type to gush, but she once told Eva that it was a blessing that she reminded her so much of him. Eva’s physical appearance resembled greatly to her mother’s but, she had received her father’s fairness and character. She wished she could solve the mystery behind her father’s disappearance but she was merely just an uneducated villager. Moreover, it was already strenuous enough to survive with the absence of a family member, so Eva didn’t have any time for that.

          By the time she was finished, it was already sundown. _‘’Just in time.’’ she thought._ She wiped off the beads of sweat on her forehead with the edge of her sleeve and hauled up the rattan basket filled with corn cobs. Like her mother said, she needed to deliver them off to the night market.

 BOOOM!!!

           The blast from the explosion was extremely deafening, causing horrendous and unendurable ringing in Eva’s ears. Following the blast, a loud sounding horn could be heard from a distance. _‘’That’s strange, the Gjallarhorn hasn’t been blown for years……’’ Eva speculated._ The _Gjallarhorn_  was used to signal the villagers that there was danger. The only time that Eva had heard it was ages ago, back when the Dohan family failed to cremate their passing family member properly. Fortunately the issue was dealt with fairly quickly. The explosion didn’t make much sense to Eva, as it was practically out of the norm here in Niles. What could cause such a blaring explosion? Suddenly, the realization began to hit her. The wall, no…it can’t be…

           With the basket still in her hands, she ran towards the direction her mother was. Eva hoped that her hunch was erroneous. If the wall had really fallen, where could they even go? The people from the inner walls will never take them in!

           In the matter of seconds, the once tranquil village was bathe in annihilation, death and soon became a living hell. Eva’s prediction was once again precise and the outer wall has indeed fallen.


	2. Chapter 2

                     Orange, yellow and red. Those were the colour of the flames that caught on the fields, houses and trees. It was also the colour that painted the sky as chaos and destruction amid in the outer wall of Niles.  
                  "STAY BACK!" A voice sobbed from a distance. The insufferable screams and painful cries echoed in Eva's ears as she made her way back to her home where her mother was.   
  
SMOOSH.

                    Eva knew she stepped on something, but she didn't dare look. She didn't know how to bring herself to look knowing that it was some sort of remaining flesh left off an ingested human being. The smell was putrid, strongly reeking of blood and iron. She took a deep breath and continued moving on.

                  After some time, her small cottage house soon became visible before her eyes. She felt the adrenaline running through her veins, heart beating faster and faster as she headed for the door. She was shocked to find it slightly opened.   
                 "Ma?" She stammered, frightened by what she might see behind the door. Opening the door, Eva found a tall slender woman, her back facing her. That wasn't her mother.....   
  
                  She took a step backwards, stumbling onto the wooden wall with a loud BUMP! Unfortunately, the noise alerted the woman, causing her to turn around, revealing her pale but disfigured and rotten face. Eva gasped, and noticed something even more menacing than the woman's distorted features. Her gaze fell upon a pool of blood on the wooden planks, a single shoe found in the centre of the catastrophe. Those were her mother's.....   
  
                 She felt sick with apprehension when the realization began to hit her. The nausea began to claw at her throat and she could feel the burn of vomit stuck down her throat. She sunk onto the floor, tears flowing down her cheeks as she bit her lips in an acrimony manner. She couldn't believe that her mother had been consumed. She couldn't believe that she was dead.   
  
                  Eva's eyes were dull when the undead charged towards her direction. This was it, this was how it was all going to end.

* * *

 

                  _Twenty four_. That was the number of undead Ka-ge had slain since the sudden invasion. He had arrived at Niles around noon and he's been searching ever since. He was employed to search for a girl, who is apparently the elementalis. An _onmyoji_ had telepathically transferred a dream to him, thus allowing him to figure out the location and physical appearance of the current Elementalis.  
  
                However, he had this weird feeling deep down his gut. Although he feared that the girl might already be dead, he needed to think about this logically. First, he didn't have the evidence that the Elementalis was deceased and second, he shouldn't go around making false conclusions. _"The elementalis is probably powerful enough to protect herself right?" he contemplated._

                He headed for the next house, a small cottage and threw the door open. As soon as the door flew open, his agility heightened as he quickly noticed an undead charging towards a shivering girl. He shoved the girl aside and with an agile slash, the undead's head fell onto the ground with a loud SMOOSH!   
  
                He was about to leave to continue his search when the girl caught his eye. She stared at him, mouth aghast, her teary, bleak eyes planted with grief and agony. She was fair, unusual for a Nilean, but what really caught Ka-ge's attention was the four freckles she had on her cheeks. They were white and shaped like diamonds. It was then when he realized who she was. _"The girl from my dreams, the Elementalis, I've found her." He thought._

                He snapped out of his thought when the undead began regenerating by replacing dead cells with new ones. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and grabbed the girl's hand. With one hand, he then lighted a match and threw it behind them, running away from the house.   
  
               The girl yanked his hand off from her, piercing him with her moody and crestfallen eyes.   
               "What are you doing? We have to go!" He snapped.  
               "My mother....I..." She sobbed, her eyes burning while tears began to form on her eyelids.  
                Ka-ge recognized that look she was giving, in fact, he knew it too well. He brooded for a moment and contemplated on what he needed to say.   
                "Staying here any longer is too dangerous. Your mother wouldn't want you to be in danger right?"

  
                Upon hearing those words leave his lips, Eva's shoulder sagged as tears started running down her cheeks. She was already guilty enough for not being able to reach the house in time to save her and now she was leaving Niles with a total stranger? Then again, she knew that her mother's dying wish was for her to live a happy and fulfilling life. Part of her agreed with the boy's statement while part of her resented it. The thoughts running in her head made her extremely indecisive. 

               With an exasperated cry, she finally gave in and followed the boy’s lead. She thought about how unfair the world was to her, how it had taken her family and her home away from her grasp. She had lost both her family and home on this day. She had lost her will to live. ** ******


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the long wait is over! hope you enjoy the chapter.

   It's been several days since their escape. They were currently in the woods, trying to navigate their way out of Niles and into Ying territory. 

             Eva couldn't really remember how they escaped. All she remembered was the boy's broad back as he slashed through the waves of the undead to provide a path for them to move on forward. Then again, her sight and mentality had also diminished due to the sorrow she had for her losses, eyes burning and a flood of tears gushing down her ashen cheeks.

             She hasn't eaten or talked since then, her throat dry and larynx inert. The boy had urged her to eat but she had refused with merely a cold glare. For the record, the boy hasn't initiated a conversation with Eva. She figured he wasn't too fond of her. To be honest, Eva wouldn't be too fond of herself either. She looked like a mess and she was an emotional piece of-   
            The boy stopped in his tracks, extending his arms to stop Eva from moving forward. "We're here. We're in Ying territory."   
                   
            Eva gazed up at the sky, sky vibrant blue and sun shining in her brown irises. She noticed that the grass and forest trees were much greener here in Ying compared to Niles. Although Eva didn't receive a proper education, she knew the reason behind that. Ying was the only kingdom in Zarod that wasn't affected by the unbalanced natural equilibrium of Mother Nature after all.   
              
             The boy continued to move on, while Eva followed until an enormous luxurious summer house became visible before their eyes. Eva wondered why they had stopped.  _ _"_ Was this our final destination?" She thought._  
       
             She has never seen anything like this in Niles as the summer house was at least equivalent to five medium sized cottages. She was in awe and her heart began to flutter in excitement, but she hesitated and held herself back. She felt like she didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to see the world when everyone else in the outer wall suffered.   
    
              She was later brought to the guest room by one of the maids working there. The maid had explained that if she needed any assistance, she would only need to ring a bell located at the side of her bed.  Afterwards, she was left in solitude, allowing her to wallow in despair and self pity.

             She entered the bathroom and found a relatively large bathtub, something unusual for a villager like Eva. The closest thing she had for a bathtub was a wooden bucket she used to play in when she was a little girl. Moreover, water was a necessity in Niles and there were  barely enough, thus she would never waste it just for personal entertainment.

             Eva filled the bathtub with water until it was 3/4 full, the water emitting a flowery fragrance of jasmine. She then removed her dirty clothing which were covered in soot, smoke and dirt. Her eyes fell upon her own reflection staring back at her through the mirror. Her complexion was pale, her eyes swollen and her cheekbones sunken. She looked like she had seen a ghost. She had to turn away because she could barely look at herself without muttering the word pathetic or disgrace.

             She soaked into the bathtub and let out an agonized and defeated sigh. The water bumping against her skin felt good, giving her an opportunity to relax and loosen her nerves. The stiffness of her body and the tightness of her joints made her realize how exhausted she was. Following the sudden realization, tears began flowing down her cheeks, falling into the water with a drip, drip, drip. She didn't know what emotions she was feeling. Culpable? Thankful? Resentment? Crestfallen? Why hasn't she realized how much of an asshole she was? The boy had saved her life, and she hasn't even said a simple thank you for his deeds. She wanted to punch herself in the gut for being so disrespectful and unapproachable. She had been swallowed by self pity that she had also forgotten about the well being of her friends. Were they alright? Did they survive? Were they even still alive? She hoped that they were in good hands. She hoped that Markus was in good hands. She mumbled those incoherent things through her hands and choked on her sobs.   
          
             Somewhere deep down her heart she knew that she needed to converge and not let the past haunt her any longer. She needed to stop questioning why these despicable things were happening to her, she needed to stop her negative psyche but most importantly, she knew she needed to let the death of her mother go.

* * *

 

 

  
               Ka-ge was seated by the window when he was having his breakfast, served by one of the servants working in the summer house. He had a book in his hand, his ears met with the soothing melody of the chirping of crickets. He was quite preoccupied by his paperback until .....thud! His gaze immediately left the book and it fell upon the Elementalis, who was setting her tray onto the table. The tray was filled with a myriad of food, food ranging from pastries to appetizers to dessert. His eyes then shifted away from her tray to her face, and he noticed that her eyes and face were vibrant and full of life compared to the previous days.

             He was flabbergasted that she had decided to sit with him as she had avoided any conversation with him for a couple of days. However, he remained his deadpan expression and brushed it off.   
             "Let's start over." she announced with an awkward smile. "I'll start. Hi, I'm Eva."   
             Ka-ge didn't want to humour her, so he didn't answer. Part of him ought to see her reaction.   
             " _Umm_ , this is the cue where you introduce yourself. Like ya know, you could tell me your name?" She added, lifting a brow.   
              Again, he was fairly astonished that she didn't know his identity and thus, he decided to play along.   
              "Its Ka-ge." He replied.  
              "Ka-ge." She repeated, the tone of her voice genuine and filled with integrity. "Thank you for saving my life and all that _gizz_. However, I do have a question I wanted to ask. Out of all the people in Niles, why was I the only one who you saved?"

             He did not understand why she had said his name in such a sincere manner nor did he understand the definition of _gizz._    
             "The emperor seeks for your presence. That is all."   
             She paused and stared intently at the ceiling, as if the words she was looking for were somehow written there. Her expression shifted into an absent and languid one:   
             "Could this be related to my father?"   
             "I'm afraid not. Are you aware  that you're the current Elementalis? "  
              She stuffed herself with a mouthful of _mochi_ and wrinkled her nose. "What's that?"   
                That was the third thing she had done that surprised Ka-ge once again. He  couldn't believe how unacquainted she was to the outside world.   
            "You're supposed to bring peace and order to Zarod and all that _gizz._ "  
Although he had used the term for sardonic purposes, he also assumed that he had used it correctly.   
           "You're clearly mistaken, I'm not the Elementalis, I'm just a poor villager from Niles."   
            "According to the _Onmyoji_ , you are in fact the Elementalis. Either way, you will be residing in Ying from this day forth."   
            "Here?"   
            "Don't be ridiculous, we're going to the capital of course."   
                  
            Her eyes were planted with anticipation and interest upon hearing the word 'capital' leave his lips. That look she had on her face made Ka-ge incredibly certain that she hasn't travelled out of Niles in her life. Besides, Ying had extremely strict customs that did not allow travellers or immigrants to enter the capital unless it was for salient business purposes.   
                  
             "So tell me more about the elementalis stuff and all that _gizz_.'' She requested, her lips curled up into a smirk. She must've caught his sarcasm during his attempt of saying the word _gizz._ That being said, they talked or in other words, chatted, (Ka-ge disliked the use of the word) and he briefed her to everything she wanted to know.


	4. Chapter 4

                Ka-ge and Eva stayed at the summer house for a few more days. Ka-ge figured that they both needed more rest before continuing their journey to the capital. He hasn't been catching enough sleep during their journey since he needed to take heed for the undead constantly. He was fairly certain that Eva wasn't sleeping much either since she was having emotional breakdowns most of the time anyways. Staying an extra day or two wouldn't hurt anybody.   
              _"Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul."_ A voice quoted. "I hope I said that right."   
  
                Ka-ge turned to look at where the voice was coming from and found Eva standing by the door. His gaze returned to his book. The novel was titled ' _The Picture of Dorian Gray._ '  
                "You read the book?" He questioned.   
               " _Duh_. It's the only book I own. Read it at least a thousand of times."  
                He didn't expect a country girl like Eva to be interested in books.   
                "Anyways, I've been exploring the place. It's huge! I didn't expect it to have a library. Am I allowed to read something?"  
                "Do as you please."   
                
               She scrambled to the shelves, eyes planted with enthusiasm and merriment. Ka-ge watched as she scanned rapidly through the shelves, eventually picking a fiction novel. Eva decided to sit at the seat across him.   
                "I've read that book when I was ten. My mother didn't know what she was getting. I'm afraid it's quite scandalous and violent for a ten year old isn't it?" Eva joked, pointing her finger at the paperback in Ka-ge's hands .   
                He grinned. "A child reading philosophical horror with mild homosexuality? Tragic."   
            When she saw his lips curl up into a grin, she smiled.   
                "There used to be a library and a school in the village but it got shut down. Everyone was too hungry and poor to bother about books." Eva explained, her expression chagrined and glum.

Ka-ge didn't reply. He just didn't know what to say. He didn't have enough empathy to care that the villagers aren't getting a proper education nor did he want to pretend to show sympathy because it was a social cue.   
                " _Umm_ anyways, enough about me, you mentioned that you worked under the emperor? Does that make you a servant?" She queried to break the ice.   
                "Sure."   
                "How's that like?"  
                "Like normal work."   
               She narrowed her eyes at him and finally understood that he didn't want to converse. Thus, she returned back to her book and it became silent between the two.

* * *

 

 

                 Eva's experience at the summer house was pleasant. Firstly, she tried meat for the second time in her life. Yes, meat was an expensive and rare item for the people of Zarod (except Ying), and to _add insult to injury,_ she was merely just a poor villager. The meat she tried specifically was beef, and she was extremely surprised when it melted in her mouth. She wondered how that worked. Next, she tried _sake_ (a rice wine), which was definitely forbidden as women weren't allowed to take alcohol in Niles. Unlike beef, she didn't enjoy having the sharp and caustic taste of ethanol in her mouth.  
          
                As Eva was gushing over the fantastic taste of beef, her gaze fell upon a breathtaking crater. The crater was painted with brown rocks and green plants as steam evolved from the hot springs.

            ''We should reach the capital by dawn. The only thing blocking the way is the _Jigokudani._ I would've flew across it if you weren't here, but we will have to resort with walking.'' Ka-ge commented.  
                Eva narrowed her eyes at him, lifting a brow. ''Wait...did you just say flew?''  
               "I must've forgotten to mention it, huh." He admitted. "I'm a shapeshifter. I can transform into a raven."   
               "I don't believe you. I've never seen anyone transform into-"   
  
               Ka-ge didn't have much patience with her disbelief and immediately proved to her that he could.  _"OH MY GOD! He really transformed into a raven!" She gasped, in her mind that is._  
                "How does that work? Can you still talk?" She asked as she poked at his wings. He flinched in response, almost biting her finger as if to say "stop that."  
                Ka-ge returned back to his human form with his arms crossed, looking rather annoyed. "No, I'm not able to converse when in raven form. And, also why would you poke me without knowing where you're poking?"    
                Eva took some time to process this and then the realization hit her, she had….. accidentally touched his-   
                "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I swear!" She stammered, her cheeks getting hotter and hotter.   
                Ka-ge's expression shifted from a black one into a teasing one.   
                "Just kidding. I cannot believe you would fall for that." He joked.  
                Eva clenched her fists and punched him on the shoulder, her cheeks still red in embarrassment. "Not funny. I seriously thought I did."  
                "Think about it logically. The distance between the humerus and the-" 

  
                 Out of the blue, Eva chortled, giving Ka-ge a guileless beam. "I can't believe you just made a joke."   
               He didn't answer but he returned a smile. His was definitely less genuine than hers, but he tried.  
                   
               

                Ka-ge was not blessed with _the gift of gab_. Although he was blessed with intellectual capabilities, his social skills will often find themselves lacking. He was surrounded by people constantly, since he was the prince and the heir to the throne of Ying. Unfortunately, those people were no more than acquaintances. Then again, he often pitied his peers, those of whom convey incompetence. He wasn't stupid, he was aware that most of his acquaintances could never tolerate his discourteous and arrogant behaviour if he wasn't someone with authority. Honestly? He couldn't care nonetheless.

                Although he promised himself that having friends wasn't his priority (it wasn't even in his top ten priority let's be real here), he felt a sense of gratification for what he had with Eva, even if it's just temporary.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 is here! Chapter 7 and 8 will be a tad bit serious, so i hope you'll look forward to that. In the meantime, enjoy these chapters!

  
            _Jigokudani_ was not as tranquil as Eva had imagined. Clear blue skies, beautiful scenery and uncanny hot springs, what could possibly go wrong? Everything. Every living organism that they had encountered at _Jigokudani_ was apparently trying to hunt them down. God knows what unimaginable things these beasts might do to them if they were caught. Eva was not looking forward to getting consumed or skinned alive.

             "Get behind me." Ka-ge ordered. Eva nodded and did as he said. They were currently ambushed by a group of _Dokkaebi. Dokkaebi_ were a type of goblins that resided in _Jikogudani._

               Eva was impressed by Ka-ge's unfaltering expression even though they were in a pinch. It was as if he had already predicted the outcome of the battle. It was as if he was confident that victory was absolute. 

                Ka-ge drew his sword, a 80 cm _Tachi_ known as the _Mikazuki Munechika_ from it's sheath. Yes, Ka-ge had taken the time to elucidate to Eva about the type of Yingean swords because he refuse to hear her call his sword a sword. Eva did not understand why he needed to be so particular about it.

                 In a blink of an eye, Ka-ge had charged towards the _Dokkaebi_ , breath steady and movement hasty. The _Dokkaebi_ shrieked in terror as they get cut down by Ka-ge's blade one by one, falling onto the ground with a loud THUMP! The grass that were once eden green were now dyed in crimson red. The _Dokkaebi_ were no match for Ka-ge. In a matter of seconds, he had victoriously defeated twelve _Dokkaebi_ singlehandedly. It doesn't even correspond to a battle, it was equivalent to a mass suicide.

               Eva's gaze then fell upon Ka-ge, his body now smeared with bits and bits of goblin blood. He frowned at the mess it has caused, and proceeded to wipe it off with the edge of his sleeve. Something about his sharp eyes were compassionless and nonchalant. It was as if the the lives that he had taken didn't matter to him. Eva felt the feeling of malaise and trepidation grow in the pits of her stomach. She was dismayed and terrified at how little he regarded for the lives and death of living beings.   
              "Why are you looking at me like that?" He scoffed.   
              "Nothing." She hesitated, taking a few steps away from him. He lifted a brow, clearly not convinced by her answer.

              "Can we at least give them a proper cremation Ka-ge?" She insisted.   
              "You can't possibly be serious."  
               She gaped at him, her brown eyes planted with determination and earnestness. "I am."  
              "And why should I agree to assist you?"   
               She didn't reply immediately but paused to analyse it first. She knew she needed a perfect explanation if she wanted him to agree with her. It was unnecessary to cremate dead organisms here in Ying since they wouldn't return as the undead. She was aware that Ka-ge had killed the _Dokkaebi_ because they had ambushed them. However, if she was to put herself in the goblin's shoes, they had only ambushed Ka-ge and Eva because they were a source of nourishment. In the end, there was only truly a reason. Both parties wanted to survive, both parties needed to survive. Moreover, her mother's passing had made her extremely regretful  because she never gave her mother a proper burial in the end.   
               "It isn't fair that they shouldn't be given a proper cremation even though all they were trying to do is to survive. Would you not want a proper burial if you failed to survive?" Eva asked. Unfortunately, she felt like she hasn't exactly expressed a valid point in her answer.   
               Fortunately, Ka-ge understood what she was trying to prove. "Fine. It still doesn't concern me but it would be troublesome if you irritate me afterwards."

                 At that moment, Eva's trepidation and malaise for Ka-ge had completely vanished. She was glad that he hasn't lost his sense of humanity.

               As soon as they left _Jigokudani_ , the Tu-long became visible before their eyes. The _Tu-long_ was a wall built to heightened the defence of Ying. Other purposes include border control, regulation of trades and the control of immigration and emigration.   
              "Woah, you guys live within a wall too?!" Eva exclaimed.   
              "That would be inaccurate. Unlike Niles, the land isn't exactly surrounded by the wall." He explained. "Follow me, we have to get past border control first."   
              "Border control?"

               Eva noticed that soldiers were everywhere at the _Tu-long_. This was due to it being the nation's integrated military defensive system with watchtowers for surveillance, fortresses for command posts and beacon towers for communications. Ka-ge and Eva headed for the entrance where security checks were being held.

                "Your highness!" A voice announced. As if on cue, every soldier in the room began to lower their heads and torso, bowing towards Ka-ge's direction. "What? Is the royal highness here too?" Eva pondered. She tilted her head to see who was behind them but unfortunately there was no one there.   
              "Insolent girl! Show some respect for his royal highness!" One of the soldiers glowered. He gave Eva a bitter glare, sending shivers down her spine. She whimpered and did as he told, eyes still planted with confusion and hesitation.

             Her gaze searched for Ka-ge's, and unexpectedly, she found him staring back at her with his lips curled up into a cocky smirk. "Wait a minute.....why isn't he bowing too?"

            Suddenly, the realization began to hit her, causing her brown irises to widen in shock and her jaw to drop. Her cheeks turned red from humiliation as she felt like an idiot for failing to speculate that Ka-ge was the crown prince of Ying all along. It wasn't her fault that he never made her call him 'your highness' or what not!

* * *

 

               Ka-ge allowed his subjects (including Eva) to rise. He then turned to look at Eva who had her eyes narrowed at him. He figured she wanted answers, _prompto._

             "Right this way your highness!" A soldier imparted, urging for them (Ka-ge specifically) to follow. They skipped through lengthy lines of border control procedures due to Ka-ge's birthright and social status and eventually made their way to the exit of the _Tu-long_. They had arranged a horse carriage for them.

             Eva had hopped into the carriage after him since she was reluctant to have one of the soldiers lecture her about respecting the prince. As soon as the carriage door shut behind her, she let out a sigh of relief and sat across him.   
             "Ka-ge, I mean...Prince Ka-ge, why did you choose to hide your identity as the prince of Ying from me? You should've just told me." She questioned.  
              "No need for such formalities. Well, you are the human being selected by a celestial being after all. Logically speaking, you're probably in a higher social status than any of the royal families in Zarod. You're obliged to call me anything you like." He justified.   
             "Can I call you an asshole?"   
             Ka-ge was quite taken aback by her response and couldn't help but chuckle. He was pleased to see her wearing a smile on her face.   
              "Joking aside, wouldn't that be disrespectful?"   
              "If I give the word, it shouldn't be a problem."   
               "Okay. By the way, didn't you tell me that you worked under the emperor? Anybody would've guessed that you're a servant or something."   
               "Technically as Prince, I still worked under the emperor."  
               "Huh, didn't think about it that way."    
               "Maybe you should think more?"   
She kicked him in the fibula.

                Although Ka-ge had revealed his birthright to Eva, she still somehow managed to pull off ridiculous stunts that would get her executed on the spot if he didn't have such a weak spot for his friend. He flinched at the emphasis of the word 'friend'. He had never actually used the word sincerely before.

                 "We're here at the capital."   
Ka-ge stated. He watched his friend's eyes lit up in excitement as she opened the carriage's window to take in the scenery. She was greeted by rows and rows of lemonade pink cherry blossoms.   
               "Why didn't you tell me the capital was so beautiful?" She beamed.   
              It wasn't because Ka-ge didn't wish to tell her, it was simply because he didn't remember it being so alluring in the first place. He took in the view along side her and realised how much beauty his home land had to give, and how much he had forgotten. Eva has helped him remember.


	6. Chapter 6

                        Eva and Ka-ge were greeted by the royal family as they arrived at the  _Sin-ui Chugbog_ palace. There were a total of five family members of the royal family excluding Ka-ge. It consisted of the Emperor, the current Empress (second wife of the emperor), Chang'e (Ka-ge's biological sister), Jun (Chang'e's first and only son) and Wan-yong (Ka-ge's half brother). As Eva hopped off the carriage after Ka-ge (again, she was still quite fearful of being disrespectful), Wan-yong had held out his hand to help her down. Eva thought that the gesture was incredibly chivalrous even though Ka-ge had specifically warned her beforehand about the empress and her son. Eva decided to give Wan-yong the benefit of the doubt. 

                        "Welcome to the capital of Ying, my dear." the Emperor began. "We have been anxiously awaiting for your arrival."   
                        Eva bowed at the Emperor and then to the rest of the royal highnesses. "Your majesty, it's an honour to be here. I hope I'll be able to assist you with whatever you need."   
   
                        The Emperor gave her a jolly grin and introduced her to the rest of the royal highnesses. She was quite nervous, since she had never actually got this up close and personal with royalty before. Furthermore, she was afraid that she might accidentally embarrass herself in front of the royal family. She might've been a villager but she cared for her image dearly.

                       She was ushered away by several servants to her sleeping chambers, and was given an azure blue traditional Yingean gown, the one made with straight seams and wide sleeves. On top of that, there was also a frost white ribbon she had to wear around her waist. She thought it made a rather delightful touch to the outfit. Her gaze then fell upon her own reflection in the mirror and this time instead of feeling disgusted and pathetic by her own appearance, she felt the feelings of satisfaction and gratification grow inside of her.

* * *

 

                      "It is soooo good to see you again, your highness!" A feminine voice chirped. Ka-ge frowned before taking a deep breathe to continue with the conversation.   
                      "Indeed." Ka-ge replied with a very dry voice. The girl, Lady Tsubaki of the Cha family then proceeded to trail off about questions regarding his mission, which he answered, again in a rather dry voice.   
         

                      Ka-ge could effortlessly see through his acquaintances pretentious friendliness, or spot them plotting something devious a mile away. He doesn't really feel threatened by the act and usually find them pathetic and sometimes amusing, as he watch them play their little games to win Ka-ge's friendship and approval. His mother, someone who Ka-ge had truly respected and cherished had called him cold because of this behaviour of his as she's all about keeping up appearances and family is always family, no matter how they treat you. To Ka-ge, cutting people off was a logical self-preservation. "Why would I want to care for or be around people who doesn't care for me and in some cases are actively trying to cause trouble and hurt me?"  
  
                     After the tiring small talk with Tsubaki, Ka-ge decided to leave the palace and into town. He reckoned it was much preferable compared to talking to a myriad of tedious nobles. He wore a dark cloak with a hood and headed out. The heir to the throne shouldn't exactly be publicly seen venturing away from the palace.

                     As he passed rows and rows of cherry blossoms into town, the crisp spring breeze and the smell of freshly baked _lao po bing_ became evident, greeting his nostrils with a pleasant fragrance. He watched as young children play with their paper pin wheels, chasing each other around the freshly cut field. Even as a child, Ka-ge was never allowed to play. Every minute of his time served a purpose, which will ultimately lead him taking up the responsibility as heir of the throne. He devoted most of his life to swordsmanship, education and learning whatever he possibly could. Luckily, Ka-ge was fully engrossed on perfecting his skills and thus didn't give too much thought on the latter.

                    He soon came across a marbled bridge, which was just situated above a running lake filled with water lilies and koi fish. He figured this was the perfect location to observe the surroundings and its people. Ka-ge noticed a dark haired girl dressed up in an azure blue Yukata staring up at something caught on a cherry blossom tree. He had a feeling he recognised her from somewhere but he can't seem to put his finger on it. He watched as the girl attempted to climb the tree, failing miserably due to the length of her gown. His eyes began to search for what she might be looking for and noticed that it was merely just a paper plane. The girl cursed at her feet but remained determined on getting the paper plane back. Ka-ge watched as she rolled up her sleeves and widened her stance before placing her hand on the wood, grabbing the branches and ascending towards her objective. After successfully retrieving the paper plane, she descended rather quickly, landing to the grass on her two feet. Upon landing, she immediately jogged towards the direction of a young boy, who was crying due to the loss of his toy to return it to him. His mother thanked her but she stiffened, gesticulating her hands to say that it wasn't any trouble.

                   Just as the girl was about to leave, they locked eyes and Ka-ge finally realised the girl had been Eva, except this time she was dressed in traditional Yingean attire. Ka-ge felt frustrated that he hasn't realized it sooner. He took a quick look at Eva's facial complexions and realized how much she looked like a Yingean. She could easily blend in with the Yingean crowd without anyone batting an eye.   
  
                   "Hey Ka-ge!" She babbled. "What brings you here?"   
                   "I could ask you the same thing." He answered.   
                    "Well, The Emperor said it was okay for me to explore the place, so I did. I even met your fiancé before galavanting off. I learnt the word galavant, just now, pretty cool right?"   
                    Ka-ge paused, scowling after hearing the word 'fiancé'. His betrothed was the last person he wanted to see. Firstly, it had been an arranged marriage that was advantageous to the royal family. His betrothed, Lady Lu-zhi of the Tang family was the daughter of a general that controlled a tremendous and competent army. Marrying her into the royal family meant his father would be able to order the army to do his bidding. Secondly, Lu-zhi was rather talkative and boastful for his taste. She would go on for hours and hours about something Ka-ge doesn't particularly remember during family dinners. However, Ka-ge couldn't brush her off due to the presence of both their fathers and was forced to put on a feigned smile, along with a slight nod of approval for polite's sake. He knows Lu-zhi was a nice girl who doesn't probably mean any harm but love isn't something Ka-ge prioritised nor believed in.   
                    "Right, lets not talk about her." He muttered.   
  
growl...

                    He lifted a brow after hearing the gurgle coming from Eva's stomach.   
                    "You haven't eaten anything before leaving?" He asked.  
                     She let out a hesitant and nervous laugh. " _Umm_ yeah."   
                    "Are you stupid or what?"   
                     "I'm not stupid! I just didn't want to trouble anyone!"   
  
His eyes scanned through the compound and he discovered a hawker just across them.   
                    "You want some dumplings?" He questioned. She nodded her head eagerly in approval. Hence, they entered the shop and settled down at a seat located near the corner of the room. Fortunately, Ka-ge still had his hood on so nobody was paying much attention to them. When the waiter came to take their order, he had ordered both the vegetable and meat dumplings for Eva.

                     "Here goes, my first dumpling." Eva whispered to herself (she was loud enough for Ka-ge to hear her). She popped the whole thing into her mouth in one go, looking rather delighted afterwards. "This is 100 times better than corn!"   
                     "They're both different things." He stated.  
                     "I know, but you get the point. Do you want some?"   
                    No one had ever offered to share food with him. It was unnecessary since he was the prince after all, and on top of that, he was guaranteed plenty of nutrition in his meals. He was surprised by the unusual things Eva would say. Perhaps, that was the difference between the poor and the rich.   
                     "You're asking me, the prince to eat commoner food?"   
                     "Well yeah. I mean, you're paying so might as well."   
                      He chortled, picking up a dumpling with a new pair of chopsticks. He popped it in his mouth just as Eva did. Immediately, the flavour of the meat and flour spread through his taste buds. It wasn't as luxurious and flavourful compared to the dumplings he has had in the palace, but this one tasted mouth watering regardless. Commoner food wasn't as bad as he had expected.   
                      "Not bad." Ka-ge admitted. "It wasn't too bad after all."


	7. Chapter 7

             "It seems like you had quite the ample amount of fun this afternoon, brother." A voice said. Ka-ge narrowed his eyes in response, lips curled up into a frown as if it was reflex. His sharp gaze fell upon a rather well built man with a tall stature, arms crossed and body leaning against the wall. It was Wan-young, just as Ka-ge had speculated.   
              "Elucidate your intentions for hiring a  _shinobi_ to observe my actions, Wan-young." Ka-ge demanded, raising his voice.  
              " _Oh_ , I wasn't spying on you. Coincidentally, you just happened to be in the right place!"  
              "Why were you spying on Ev- the Elementalis? She had already pledged allegiance with Ying."   
               " _My, my, my_ , why are you getting worked up for?'' He asked, pausing for  a mere second before continuing .''You can't possibly be attached to the Elementalis are you?"   
               Ka-ge glared at him, his brows pulled down together while his muscles tensed. "Of course not, she's merely an acquaintance required for the triumph of Ying."   
              "I hope so. We shall see tonight then." Wan-young taunted, waving his hand as he strolled down the hallways back to his own chambers.

                Ka-ge clenched his fist in exasperation. He wanted to punch him in the face, even though he had already convinced himself that anything that came out of the bastard's mouth was fallacious. However, none of his statements were false but instead accurate. Ka-ge had called Eva a friend instead of an acquaintance. Moreover, Ka-ge had in fact enjoyed spending time with that rather strange but endearing girl.

             He shook his head and released his clenched fist. He knew very well that he had no time to be wrathful nor conflicted. Something from the conversation had caught Ka-ge's attention. His intuition was telling him he needed to analyse and examine the oddities behind it. _"What did Wan-young mean by tonight? What could possibly be planned?" He apprehended._

               It didn't take long before sunset, welcoming the nightfall with skies painted with shades of mauve and indigo. Ka-ge had already changed into his traditional _hanbok_ , waiting along side his father for the celebration to begin. At the corner of his eye, he noticed Eva enter the room with her eyes lit up in enthusiasm. It was something Eva did very often whenever they venture off into new territory (well, new to her at least). Instead of a _hanbok_ , she had worn a porcelain coloured pair of _hakama,_ a white _haori_ and some red hair ribbons. It was the exact outfit his mother was dressed in the last time he saw her, before being exiled from Ying by his father himself.

               Ka-ge never understood why his mother had been banished. He had only been eight at the time and his father had never mentioned nor addressed the reason behind it. His mother was a kind and beautiful woman loved and cherished by all. She was a humanitarian, willing to lend a helping hand to those who were poor and weak even though she was royalty. She was also the one who stood up for him when his father's plans for him were too meticulous or vile. Her absence had created a void in Ka-ge's heart, as he wouldn't have felt so lonesome if she was here. Ka-ge had learnt to keep his despondency buried in the depths of his heart, that he himself had forgotten over the years of her absence. Seeing Eva in that formal wear had certainly sparked his memory, giving him a sense of nostalgia of his beloved mother, probably somewhere out there, living her life and still helping others. He could almost illustrate it until he was interrupted from his train of thought by his fiancé.   
              "Shall we take our seats before the ceremony begin?" Lady Lu-zhi suggested. Ka-ge nodded.

               As soon as everyone took their seats, the emperor began. "Thank you all for joining us today in celebration of the Elementalis. Her presence here will be advantageous to Ying and we can once again lessen our concern regarding the undead and depleting crop yields for yet another year. Let's applaud her sacrifice for journeying through treacherous lands to get here for the triumph of Ying.''   
              He pointed his cup of _sake_ towards Eva as the crowd clapped in ebullience. She blushed and gave everyone a skittish smile. Ka-ge's eyes locked with Eva's for a moment, his lips wanting to turn into a small smirk. However, he managed to stop himself and shifted his eyes away.  
              Ever since his conversation with Wan-young, Ka-ge had decided that he would much rather not have any friends if it would be used as a weakness against him. He was used to being alone anyways, it shouldn't even be a problem. Then again, part of him felt conflicted and accountable for suddenly deciding to be inhospitable and bitter towards her.

* * *

 

              After several performances and a myriad of meals, the ceremony finally moved on to the main event. Everyone proceeded to another venue, which was a  _bonsai_ garden with a humongous statue of a Yingean goddess at the centre. The goddess, _gyaku yōso_ was said to be the entity that have warded Ying from the unnatural equilibrium of Mother Nature in Zarod. Hence, it was the goddess that the Emperor and most of the citizens in Ying worshiped.

              Eva scanned the statue, her eyes observant and vigilant. It was impressively carved and detailed. Some of the details were so thorough that one would not had easily notice it at the corner of their eye. She figured that the sculptor must've been incredibly talented and skilled.

             As Eva's gaze fell upon the goddess's eyes, she felt a sense of unease and malaise grow in her heart. She didn't know or understand what she was feeling but her intuition was telling her that something was off.  
             Before she could even react, she was immediately seized by the bodyguards, falling face first onto the ground with a loud thud! She wanted to resist, but she failed due to the strength of the men being much greater than hers. She wanted to demur but she was too stunned and so nothing managed to leave her lips.

             The Emperor faced his audience, extending his arms to boast about his victory.   
             "The Elementalis is in our grasps once again!" He began. "Let the sacrificial ceremony commence!". Eva's eyes widened in shock after hearing the words 'again' and cursed under her breath. _'' I wasn't the first Elementalis that had been captured by the Emperor?''_

             She was shoved onto the altar, where the gazes of dozens crawled onto her skin. She fell onto the cold marbled floor, too frail and too exhausted to even look at the Emperor with eyes planted with doubt and wrath. _"Why isn't anyone helping me? Why isn't anyone stating that this is clearly wrong? Why isn't...Ka-ge saying anything?"_ She looked at Ka-ge, giving him one final glare mixed with betrayal and sorrow. Eva's heart ached when she realized that Ka-ge too was a part of this wicked plan. She didn't want to believe it.

             The sages didn't bother locking her in chains because they were certain that she wouldn't resist. They began to mutter hexes and curses as they splatter blood, chicken blood specifically onto the altar. The scene reminded her so much of the catastrophe she had witnessed back in her cottage home, snapping her back into reality from her wallowing despair. The world is cruel, it had always been. Eva couldn't help but laugh hysterically at herself for being a moron. A moron who believes that there was hope. A hope that she could someday belonged somewhere, anywhere. A hope that there was still some good in people.

             At that moment, she was fueled with so much fury from all her misfortunes that with her head facing downwards, she boomed. ''Why are you doing this?! Just how many Elementalis had you killed?!"

             The Emperor ignored her statement and unsheathe his sword. He didn't have much patience to entertain the soon deceased girl. ''Don't worry my child, I'll make sure you die a painless death. That I can ensure you."   
              Eva bit into her lip in an acrimony manner as more tears ran down her cheeks. "You're a coward."   
                
               She knew she was going to die with myriad of negative emotions running through her mind. She just couldn't help it. She couldn't accept the fact that her friendship with Ka-ge had been nothing but a hoax. She couldn't accept the fact that she actually believed that she was going to be given a chance to start anew. She couldn't accept the fact that she was a sacrificial lamb all along, waiting her whole life for this very moment. She finally realised she didn't belong anywhere. Not Niles, not Ying.  She wondered why the world was so against her, punishing her even though she had never done anything erroneous. Maybe the Elementa curse was meant to bring upon great suffering for both Zarod and the Elementalis. She wished she was never the Elementalis.

              As her lifeless eyes watch the Emperor's blade slashed towards her direction, she told herself that she was finally going to be reunited with her dear mother.  _''Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.'' she comforted herself._ Just as she was about to accept her demising end, the altar ground opened and swallowed her into the darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, its me the author. Just wanted to inform you all that Chapter 8 is written in Ka-ge's POV about Eva's sacrifice. Its a tad short, and I apologize for my writer's block but I assure you that the story is just getting started. So please continue to support The Tainted Elementa. Thank you.

            When Ka-ge saw Eva getting assaulted by the two guards, he was ready to unsheathe his _tachi_ and dash forward to help her. He didn't know why his instinct obligated him to do so, but he figured it must've been due to their long journey to Ying together that had made him protective over the Elementalis. Despite that, he managed to stop himself and returned _Mikazuki Munechika_ into it's sheath before he could cause a commotion. It would not be sensible to fight here, especially not when his father and Wan-young were watching. 

             At first he apprehended that their sudden advancement to the _bonsai_ garden was rather strange, as the location was used to host sacrificial rituals or _seppukus_. However, seeing Eva getting seized definitely confirmed his suspicions. As much as he didn't want to believe it, he knew the Emperor had planned Eva to be the sacrifice all along. _"So that's what Wan-young meant by tonight. That bastard..." Ka-ge cursed._ He wanted to know the reason behind his father's decision to keep this occasion classified from him. Was it because his father didn't trust him enough to do so?

            He couldn't help but brood over his father's lack of trust towards him. Then again, what action could he even take even if he did receive the information? Would he run away with Eva and willingly leave everything he had worked for behind? Or would he just close his eyes and let her die? He felt a sense of malaise and conflict grow bigger and bigger in the pits of his stomach.

             "The Elementalis is in our grasps once again!" The emperor began. "Let the sacrificial ceremony commence!".   
             Ka-ge watched as Eva was shoved onto an altar, her head down and her eyes planted with betrayal and gloom. Eva was glaring coldly at him but she looked as if she was going to cry. Ka-ge couldn't help but turn his head away.

              Negative thoughts were running in Ka-ge's brain as fast as the speed of light, and the thought of his mother entered his mind. Thinking about his mother had always helped him coped with all the sorrow and wrath.   
            _"What would she say if she was here? What would she do?" He asked himself._ He thought about the last time he saw her and jolted, his muscles in shock as he has suddenly realised the sinister truth behind his mother's exile. Ka-ge's head spun and he could feel his fingers getting numb. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. His mother was never exiled, she was sacrificed! That would explain why Eva was wearing the same clothing as his mother the last time he saw her. That would explain why his father wouldn't address the sudden disappearance of his mother.

            Ka-ge's numb fingers started shaking as it was difficult to believe that he was never going to see his mother ever again and that she was never coming back. He felt like he was losing his grip from reality and his purpose in life. Again, Ka-ge wanted to scream, he wanted to cry and he wanted to grab his father by the collar and demand he tell him why. Ka-ge didn't know how his father brought upon himself to kill his own wife.

               The sages began to mutter hexes and curses as they splatter blood, chicken blood onto the altar. Suddenly, Eva began to speak.   
              "Why are you doing this?! Just how many Elementalis had you killed?!" She boomed.  
              "Don't worry my child, I'll make sure you die a painless death. That I can ensure you." The Emperor replied, his voice lacking of empathy and concern.   
               "You're a coward." She spat as tears continued running down her cheeks.

              Ka-ge knew he needed to come up with a solution quickly if he wanted Eva to live. Now that he knows the truth behind his mother's death, there was no way in hell was he letting his father get his way. He was so filled with hatred and resentment that he wasn't even acting with logic and rationality anymore. Instead, he was thinking with his heart, something Ka-ge despised, something Ka-ge referred to as a weakness.   
              
             He scanned the room and noticed the multiple guards at the entrance, swords drawn from their sheath. The chances of them escaping was slim but Ka-ge couldn't give up, _there must be a way!_ Just as the Emperor's blade slashed towards her direction, Ka-ge dashed with impulse to parry the attack. However, the earth beneath her shattered open and swallowed her whole.

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